Rotary oiler



1,684,175 G. M. EATON V ROTARY OILER Filed Feb. 21, 1927 INVENTOR Georgedd-Eafon.

ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 11, 1928.

GEORGE M. EATON, OF PITTSBURGH, PEN

PATENT OFFICE.

"JSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A GORPSRATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

ROTARY OILER.

Application filed February 21, 1927. Serial No 169,711.

My invetnion relates to the lubrication of railway-vehicle-axle bearings and it has particular relation to a system of lubrication for railway trucks having axleanounted motors and utilizing a novel application of the rotary oiler principle.

The lubrication of railway-motor-axle bearings has always been one of the most diflicult problems of railway maintenance because of the difliculty of insuring the additions of the proper amounts of oils at proper intervals and with sufficient care to prevent the introduction of dirt during the filling process.

Heretofore, the railway axle bearings have required lubrication at more or less frequent intervals, and, when the filling operations have been performed with the truck in place underneath the railway car, it has been almost impossible to prevent the falling of dirt from the upper framework into the filling opening.

According to my invention, I provide a novel rearrangement of the parts of a motor truck of the type in question, whereby there is only one place, at each end of the axle, where the lubricatingsystem is in contact with the, atmosphere and, consequently, where oil might possibly escape, thereby materially reducing the oil leakage and lengthening the periods between the filling operations.

An important feature of my invention also consists in the utilization of a rotating oilstoring chamber located wholly, or, at least, in part, within the gear wheel through which the tractive effort is transmitted from the motor to the axle.

The foregoing and further advantages will appear from the following description and claims.

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional yiew showing one end of a railway-axle structure embodying myinvention, the section plane being indicated by the line II in Fig. 4;

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the line IIII of Figs. 1 and 3;

Fig. 3 is a view. similar to Fig. 1, but some what more fragmentary and taken on a plane indicated by the line III-III in Fig. 4:: and

Fig.4: is a transverse vertical sectional view through the rotary niler, the secti n plane being indicated by the line IV-IV in igs. 1 and 3. I

My invention has been illustrated in application to an axle-mounted railway motor structure in which the motor frame comprises a stationary quill portion 6 which is integral with the field member of the motor not further shown) and which surrounds the axle 8 of the railway-motor truck (not further shown). The axle is provided, near each end, with a journalportion 9 which is disposed within a journal bearing or brass 10 carried by a bearing housing 11 which is integral with the quill portion 6, so that the quill portion 6, extending across the truck between the two journal bearing housings,

constitutes a leak-proof chamber 12 which positively precludes the possibility of any oil leakage from the axle between the axle beari ugs thereof. Each bearing housing carries a vehicle-supporting spring-structure 13 which may be of any usual or convenient design.

The driving torque is transmitted from the motor, which is shown on the drawing only by the quill portion 6 of its frame structure, by means of gearing comprising a resilient gear wheel 14 mounted on the shaft between the journal bearing 9 and the adjacent car wheel 15. The resilient gear Wheel 14 preferably comprises a gear center 16, which is rigidly carried by the axle. and a springconuected tooth-ring portion 17. which surrounds the same and is connected thereto by means of springs in a usual or approved manner.. The gear center 16 has a non-centrally located weh-portion 19 which constitutes one wall of a rotating oil-storing chamber 20 which is located wholly. or at least partially, within the gear wheel. As shown in the drawing. the rotating oil storing chamber is completed by means of end plate 21 which is welded or otherwise secured to the gear center 16. preferably after the apparatus has been at least partially assembled, as will be subsequently explained.

It will be understood that the oil in the rotary oil-storing chamber will nearly fill the bottom portion of the chamber when the ap paratus is at stand-still. as indicated by the standing oil level marked 23, but, when the oil chamber rotates, the oil is thrown out by centrifugal force int a tnra dgl shape to 0ccupy the extreme peripheral portion of the chamber, as indicated by the rotating oil level 24;. The vertical walls of the rotating chamber may also be provided with radial flanges, as indicated by the radial flange 26 on the end plate 21, in order to elevate some of the oil during the very first traction of. a revolution of the apparatus.

Oil is supplied to the journal hearing from the rotating oil chamber 20, by means of an upwardly extending oil-feeding linger 28 which is carried by a cylindrical extension 29 of the hearing housing ll, which projei'zts into the rotating oil cllamber near the hub there-- of The oil-feeding finger. dipping into the rotating" body of oil, feeds steady stream ofoil to (an oil-catching pocket 30 in the cylindrical housing extension 29, whence the oil iscondncted, by ducts 3l,to the upper portions of?- the journal bearing 9.

A-tln'nst-bearing surface is provided at the outer end of the 'j()l]lllfil-l76{lllllg memher, wherethe end oi the bearing brass '10 butts against the hub of the combined {gear wheel ilet and rotating oil container 20. Instead of relying upon-the oil escaping; from the end of the journal bearing; to lubricatethe thrust bearing, I have provided 'anindependent and copious supply of oil for this essential thrust-bearin surface, by means of a second oil-catchinfz fingrcr 35, which is slightly spaced from the firstanentioncd oilcatchingfingger 28, and which supplies oil to a second oil-catching: pocket in the cylin i drical housing extension 29 whence the oil is conducted, by duets 37, to the thrust bearing 33, as indicated in Fig. 3.

It will be-notedthat oil caneseape from the luln'ieating system only at one point at each-lend of the axle, suchpoint beingr'the' junction betweenthe inner periphery of the annular end plate ll offitherotating-oil chamber QOpand the adjacent external sur-' face'of the cylindrical housing extension 29. The oil leakage at this point is reduced to an absolute minimumbymeans of oil-catching! p i filling devices 48iand49-yforifilhng oilito theq;

and wiping: members 'whieh arei indieated schematically at: 39.

The utilization of; an integral. quill PACER-I her 6, whichextcnds between,- a nd is rigidly connected to, both of the bearinoyhousings at the two ends ot the axle, provides an-annularspace 12, between itself andwfthe axle, which serves as a reservoirwl-nch always hasaoil in it, to-assist in theearly establishment-i ofian oilifilm, when sta'rting theiappar ratus a tier :1 long stop. It will he understood that. whereas only oneiend oi the shaitis ;hown,itheother end is precisely like it and hence no additional illustration is. necessary lhcreforn I The oil escaping to the quill reservoir 12. :l'rom the inner end of each of the journal; members is returned to the rotating oil-store ingcl'ian'iber 20: through theljourual brass 10,

is standing-on banked track;

ne inclined re turn groove 41 in the bearing brass. The oil escapes more or less quickly through the-place between the bottom of the iournal portion of zthe sh alt and the botton'i of the bearing brass-, 1 until the oil level in the :quill member falls; to the bottom oi? the inner bore of the bearing surtace of the brass, but evenwthough-thew l eriod of stand-stillsis very much prolonged,

the bottom of the ournal portion ofthe; shaft:

willalwaysremain wet-with oil, iboth by'rea': i son of the capillary action of the oilinthe clea 'ance, and bynieason-of the fact'that the entirelubricating system as closedso that'the a air therein is saturated, lat all times, vwith-or vapors, and so that there is substantially nor. evaporation of the oil fromthobottoinofthe shaft portion of the/journal As a result ofthe apparatus-just ClSCI ifbG(l','i.

when the vehicle-is started, atter a prolonged period of standby, the OIlY-bOt-tOm"OLij the shaftis turned upwardly, thereby'quiclrly y I lubricating thewupperbearing portion-s, bevy tore one half of a revolution has been inadei This prompt lubrication :of the; j ournal-bear ing= suritaces very important, as-ina-nya .iearing has boenrspo-iled by reason o-fiiu suliic-ientlubrication during thefirstiew 1' [V- olution-satter a long stop. 1

Preferably, also, onepong more dams 46405.

should be provided in the bottom of] the can nular space 12 provided by the quillmenibera- 6, lorithe PUIPOSQ O'l limiting the drainagoot' j the oil from the quill member when thei ear For filling-purposes,l have pro-videchtweproper levcl-s,- both[in'the rotating oil chain-,- berQO and initheiannular chamber-12-;pro.-;

vided by the quill member 6.. The first -till- J in ing device comprises a-pipe'5O-which"leads from a convenient point inian aeeessilole loca tion, preferably near the outer edge ofg tlliizfm truck, to a longitudinally extending dncti5] in-the bottom portion of the cylindrical;houssma in g extension 29,, said d uct terminating in 1 a i downwardly projecting; duct orpipe 52 which;

terminates at the desired standing oil level 23 in the IOt-fitlIIg-Oll chambem Oil is introduced intmt-he rot-atingcham: mi

her by means of" an oil igun tnot, shown) which is applied-to the filling opening=5 lin e the filling pipe 50, by meansefsvhichioil-is, introduced, until morelthanenough oil has been injecteifl into the. oilsstorag'e chamber, 14a

the excess oil being then withdrawn by a suction action, produced by reversing the pump, which is continued until the suction breaks when the oil level in the oil chamber QO-falls down. to the desired standing level 23.

The second oil-filling device 49, which is connected to the annular oil chamber 12 provided by the quillmember 6, comprises suit able pipe 56 having a filling opening 57, whereby oil may be introduced in a similar manner into the quill member 6. The filling openings 54 and 57 are, of course, located above the working oil levels 23 andJl l, respectively, in order to obviate the chance of losing oil, even though improper or damaged closing means are provided for these openings.

When the railway vehicle first starts, oil at the bottom of the ournal wets the journal surface and lubricates the same, starting to establish an oil film with the first half rotation of the journal, as previously indicated. During the same period, the vertical webs 26 in the oil-storing chamber 20 carry, to the top of the chamber, a certain amount of oil entrained by adhesion, so that, even while the rate or rotation is so slow that centrifugal force is insufficient to throw the oil into the outer portion of the rotating chamber, some of the oil carried up to the top of the chamber will drain downwardly and will be spilled into the two independent oil pockets 30 and 36 on the top of the cylindrical housing extension 29. As the speed increases, the oil in the rotating reservoir is thrown into a toroidal form in the outer periphery of the reservoir, and the oil-catching fingers 28 and deflect a flood of oil to the two oil pockets 30 and 36 previously mentioned, whence the oil flows by gravity to different portions of the bearing surfaces, as already explained.

Oil will escape from both ends of the j ournal 9. That portion of the oil which escapes from the inner end, enters the reservoir 12 provided. by the quill member 6, and overflows into the inclined return groove 41, assisting in lubricating with the thrust collar 33 as it returns to the rotating reservoir 20. That portion of the oil which escapes from the outer a. and of the journal 9, assist in lubricating the thrust collar 33 and then returns to the rotat ing reservoir 20. The direct lubrication to the thrust collar, provided by the stream of oil which is supplied by the oil-catching finger 35, is a third safeguard for lubricating this troublesome thrust-bearing element in a positive manner at the very start of the rotation, and this oil also returns to the rotating reservoir.

It will, of course, be understood that proper care and safeguards must be observed during the assembly operations, as the various parts are pressed into place, to secure the proper alinement of the several lubricating ducts and other important parts of the apparatus. As

such details are delivcredtobe obvious to any worker skilled in the art, no detailed explana tion of the assembly operation or of the overhaul procedure (in case of removal from the vehicle) is'deemed necessary.

One feature of my invention is the isolation of my gear-case lubrication completely from the journal and thrust-bearing lubrication systems. I have departed from the usual custom of mounting the gear case on a stationary part of the structure, by utilizing a two-part gear case 58 and 59, which is loosely mounted, at oneend, upon the rotating hub of the gear l l, and which may also be loosely mounted, at the other end, on the rotating oil-sealing portion 39 of the rotary oil chamber 20. The grease or other lubricant disposed in the gear case is thus effectually isolated from the journal-lubricating system, whereby no contamination of the latter is possible by reason of grease escaping from the gear-lubricating system.

I claim as my invention:

1. An axle-mounted-vehicle-motor structure comprising a driving wheel, an axle therefor, an axle bearing, a driving motor mounted on said axle and a rotary oiler for said axle bearing.

2. An axle-mounted-vehicle-motor structure comprising a driving wheel, an axle therefor, an axle bearing, a vehicle-support ing spring mounted on said bearing, a motor nonresiliently supported, in part, by said bearing, gearing between said motor and said axle, said gearing comprising a gear wheel mounted on said axle between said axle bearing and said driving wheel, and a rotary oiler for said axle bearing disposed at least in part within said gear wheel.

3. An axle-mounted-vehicle-motor structure comprising a driving wheel, an axle therefor, an axle bearing, a vehicle-supporting spring mounted on said bearing, a motor non-resiliently supported, in part, by said bearing, gearing between said motor and said axle, said gearing comprising a flexible gear having a gear center mounted on said axle between saidaxle bearing and said driving wheel, said gear center having a non-centrally located web port-ion constituting one Wall of a rotating oil-storing chamber, and means for lubricating said axle bearing from said rotating oil chamber.

4. An axle-geared-vehicle-motor structure comprising a driven axle carrying a toothed driving gear, a ournal bearing for said axle, separate and non-communicating lubricant reservoirs for lubricating the gear teeth and the journal bearing, respectively, and separate and non-communicating lubricating systems associated with the said respective reservoirs for applying lubricant therefrom to the surfaces to be lubricated, respectively.

5. An axle-gearcd-vehicle-motor structure comprising a driven axle carrying a. toothed lit) driving gear; a journal bearing for said axle, separate and non-communicating lubricant reservoirs for lubricating the gear teeth and the ournal bearing, respectively, and separate and non-communicating lubricating systems associated with the said respective reservoirs for applying lubricant therefrom to the surfaces to be lubricated, respectively, the l'ubri cant reservoir for said journal bearing being a rotating chamber disposed at least in part Within said driving gear.

6. An aXleqnounted-railway truck structure comprising a pair of driving Wheels a single axle rigidly connected to both of said wheels an axle bearing comprising a bearing housing near each end of the axle, a vehiclesupportiug spring strutcure mounted on each bearing, a inotor comprising a stator frame having an integral quill surrounding said axle and integral with said bearing housings, whereby there is only one possible place Where the bearing lubricant might escape to the atmosphere at each bearing, gearing between said motor and said axle, said gearing comprising a. gear wheel mounted on said shaft outside of, and adjacent to, one of said axle bearings and a rotary oiler for" said axle hear ing disposed, at least in part, Within said gear Wheel.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 9th day of February; 192(.

GEORGE M. EATON. 

